The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including a transfer device for transferring a toner image onto a sheet member.
An image forming apparatus has been known in which an intermediate transfer belt extended on and between a plurality of belt rollers is held between a transfer roller and an image carrier, a toner image formed on the surface of the image carrier is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt, and the toner image is transferred onto a sheet member. This type of image forming apparatus may be provided with a cleaning blade for removing residual toner from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt after the toner image has been transferred onto the sheet member. The cleaning blade is disposed in contact with the intermediate transfer belt, and removes the residual toner from the surface of the running intermediate transfer belt.
By the way, there are cases where foreign matters, such as paper dust attached to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt or aggregates of an external additive, may enter a gap between a tip of the cleaning blade and the surface of the intermediate transfer belt. If the cleaning blade is slid on the intermediate transfer belt with the foreign matters remaining in the gap, the surface of the intermediate transfer belt or the tip of the cleaning blade may be damaged.
Meanwhile, a structure has been known in which an intermediate transfer belt is moved in a direction of the width of belt rollers by moving one ends of the belt rollers upward or downward.